Dr Suzanne Bell, an organizational psychologist, leads the Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Her work focuses on helping astronauts perform in high-stress environments, including deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.
Morning Routine: Early Start Without an Alarm
Bell wakes up naturally by 5am every day. From 5 to 7:15am, she enjoys a morning latte and uses that time for focused work, longer reading, personal emails, or paperwork. She describes these two hours of uninterrupted time as wonderful.
Current Work: Artemis Research
Bell serves as the principal investigator for Artemis research, focusing on crew health and readiness. This is the first time a crew has gone beyond low-Earth orbit in 50 years and the first time they have flown in Orion. The Artemis II crew completed pre-mission data collection about a month ago. The human research program funding the work requested a briefing on a quick turnaround, covering what needs to be addressed before Artemis III.
Bell's team is currently working on sustained lunar presence and setting up a moon base. They already have data that can inform how the base should be built.
Lunch and Diet
Bell often skips a formal lunch break due to meetings. She grabbed a salad on the way into a meeting. She follows the daily dozen, a healthy longevity diet, and avoids flour and sugar except on special occasions.
Challenges and Excitement
Bell noted that while much is known about low-Earth orbit and living on the International Space Station, the focus is now on the Moon, sustaining a presence there, and going to Mars. She finds this research exciting because it involves data from people who have gone into deep space, which is the direction NASA is heading.
Evening Routine: Family Time and Early Bed
Bell leaves the office around 5pm and avoids working late. She has a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, both busy with sports and activities. She prioritizes being available to them in the evening. Her 15-year-old enjoys working out with her, so they go to the gym together to lift weights. Her other son is involved in sports, and they do indoor climbing. Bell goes to bed early, asleep by 9 or 9:30pm. She emphasizes the need for restorative time on weekends, stating, 'It's not rocket science.'
